"So the little spook of a lawyer has trapped you, too, has he? But why so sad about it?"
At this I only stared, but after a while, remembering poor Fox and Mr. Lincoln's grand way, I answered:
"Yes, I'm trapped, and without reason."
"That is always the way. Reason plays hide and seek with us, but might is always on hand and wide awake. Moth puts me in jail because I sought to harm him. He too ought to be here, though, for seeking to harm you; but he is free and you are in jail, and that is the way it goes. There is always some bit of injustice, I have noticed, in everything that is done," the robber went on, but more as if talking to himself than to me.
"What have you done that he's after you?" I asked, interested in him because of his cheerful way and kind speech.
"Me! I tried to rob him."
"To rob him!" I exclaimed, wondering that any one should try to rob Moth.
"Yes, in the woods, as he was pursuing you. For you are the lad, I expect, that went by as I lay in wait."
"Yes," I answered, not knowing whether I was or no.
"After you had passed he came along, his horse all afoam, and I followed on. When he stopped at the place where you left the road, I called to him to throw up his hands, but instead he drew a pistol and fired at me point-blank."